Engine analyzers provide mechanics with a tool for accurately checking the performance of the ignition system as a measure of the overall engine performance. Signal detectors (“test probes”) are widely used in diagnosing defects and anomalies in internal combustion engines. A test probe is, for example, placed adjacent to a test point such as a ignition coil or ignition wire, and the test probe communicates the signal back to a motor vehicle diagnostic apparatus. Information obtained from the test probe, such as spark plug firing voltage and duration, can help a mechanic determine if any component in the ignition system is malfunctioning.
FIG. 1a illustrates a capacitive signal detection system. Ignition coil 110 is, essentially, a transformer having a very large turn ratio, typically between 1:50 to 1:100, between the primary and secondary, which transforms the low voltage in a primary winding provided by the sudden opening of the primary current to a high voltage in a secondary winding. Ignition coil 110 is connected to the center or coil terminal (not numbered) of distributor cap 114 by an insulated wire 112. High voltage from the ignition coil 110 is distributed from the coil terminal to side or spark plug terminals of the distributor cap 114 by means of a rotor which distributes the spark to each spark plug terminal at a predetermined timing in a manner known to those skilled in the art and provided in standard technical manuals. The spark voltage provided to the spark plug terminals is, in turn, provided to a corresponding spark plug 122 via insulated wire 118.
At each cylinder, the resulting electric discharge between the spark plug electrodes produces a spark which ignites a fuel-air mixture drawn or forced into the cylinder and compressed to an explosive state, thereby driving a piston in the cylinder to provide power to an attached crankshaft. Analysis of ignition waveforms to evaluate engine performance can be performed by capacitively coupling a capacitive signal pickup 124 to the spark plug wire 118. The capacitive signal pickup 124 is conventionally wrapped around or clipped to wire 118, at one end, and is connected to measuring device 128, at another end, through a wire or coaxial cable 126. The total capacity measured by the pickup 124 is used, in combination with a conventional capacity divider circuit, to determine the wire 118 voltage in a manner known to those skilled in the art.
More recently, ignition systems have evolved to one coil per cylinder (conventional coil-on-plug (COP) or one coil per cylinder pair (a direct ignition system (DIS) or double ended coil-on plug (DECOP)). The COP system does not have conventional spark plug wires. These spark ignition systems incorporate an ignition coil over each plug or an ignition coil near each plug as shown, for example, in FIG. 1b. High voltage generated at the secondary coil 164 by means of the primary coil 162 and magnetic iron core 160 is routed through the output of the secondary coil through various conductive elements to a conductive output, such as a spring 169, and to the spark plug (not shown) housed within spark plug cap 170. Igniter 168 is a switch that opens after current has been flowing in the coil. This transient develops a large voltage on the primary which is increased by transformation through secondary coil.
FIG. 1c shows a coil-over-plug (COP) assembly having ignition coil 140 and spark plug cap or extender 150. A spark plug (not shown) is attached to the bottom of the spark plug extender 150. This arrangement prevents application of the conventional technique implemented in FIG. 1a, since the high secondary voltage conductor is not as easily accessed as the wire 118 of FIG. 1a. For this configuration of COP, a coil-on plug signal detector assembly or sensor 141, such as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 6,396,277, issued on May 28, 2002, and assigned to the present assignee, which is incorporated herein by reference, may be used. The COP sensor 141 includes upper and lower conductive layers (not shown) affixed to and separated by substrate 144. The upper and lower conductive layers act, in one aspect, as a signal detector and as a ground plane. The upper layer is conductively coupled to an external signal analyzer device via wire 152 and the ground plane shields a portion of the electric field generated by the coil, attenuating the signal strength to a level usable by conventional analyzers.
The sensor 141 is clipped to the housing of the ignition coil 140 by a clip 147 attached to sensor housing 148. In this arrangement, sensor 141 lies within an electromagnetic field emitted by coil 140 when the coil is transforming primary voltage into high-voltage for use by a spark plug. In operation, low voltage and high current are applied to the primary winding of ignition coil 140 for a predetermined time, and the primary winding generates an electromagnetic field that principally consists of a magnetic field (H). The secondary winding generates an electromagnetic field that is primarily an electric field (E). The lower conductive layer, which is placed adjacent a housing of the coil 140, is brought substantially to ground potential by virtue of such contact. A voltage potential, which could be positive or negative (generally negative for a COP system), is induced or otherwise developed across upper and lower layers 148, and may be measured at or received from the surface of the upper layer or signal detector layer. The voltage observed at the signal detection layer is proportional to the voltage at the terminal end of the secondary coil of coil 140. A signal taken from the signal detection layer may therefore be used in diagnosing ignition spark voltage characteristics, such as spark voltage or burn time, or other problems such as open wires or plugs or fouled or shorted plugs.
However, despite the advancements realized by present coil-on plug signal detection devices, there remains room for improvement, particularly in the fitting of sensors to provide readings for uncommon COP coils and a need exists for a universal adapter configurable to permit readings to be taken from a large number of different COPs.